The Image staff muses on the culture of keeping up appearances

Louboutin open its doors in West Hollywood

November 7, 2009 | 8:00
am

I’ve always loved the stretch of Robertson Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue — the site of cute restaurants, home interior stores and several high-end shops that have popped up in recent years.

And with the new Christian Louboutin boutique kicking off its opening last night with a shopping event complete with champagne foot baths, the block has even more appeal, even if all you are in the market for is a little drooling and window shopping.

The quaint, two-story shop with a charming courtyard filled up quickly Thursday night, with several die-hard Louboutin shoppers and plenty of people who mostly gravitated to the champagne table. Party guest Renges Fabris donned a sparkly pair of silver Louboutins from last fall, but has already scooped up about seven pairs from this season and was eyeing a pair of hot pink, patent leather heels from the holiday collection. “They’re like the original Barbie shoes,” Fabris said.

Upstairs, the usually closed-off VIP room was set up to give guests champagne foot baths. Rose petals and champagne were poured into tubs while ladies had their tootsies pampered.

And as if you needed more décor than the shoes themselves, the shop is filled with fun and unique treasures from Mr. Louboutin's travels, far and near. A beaded zebra-print chair and a giant white bird statue were hauled in from the Rose Bowl flea market and hand-blown glass bubbles made in Syria hang on the entire stairwell. The space is one of the largest Louboutin boutiques in the world, modeled after the shop on Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau in Paris. Bigger store just means more shoes to love.

Christian Louboutin, 650 N. Robertson Blvd. West Hollywood.

— Melissa Magsaysay

Photos: Christian Louboutin neon sign and a pair of sparkly shoes from the collection/Melissa Magsaysay